13-year-old killer is called treatable

A mental health expert testified Friday that one of the two youths who dropped 5-year-old Eric Morse to his death from a 14th-floor window in 1994 is amenable to treatment and should be sent to a locked residential treatment facility rather than youth prison.

John Murray, a psychologist for Cook County Juvenile Court, said the boy--now 13 years old--suffers from a severe conduct disorder and is prone to impulsive and sometimes violent behavior. But he said the youth has improved significantly in the past year and needs intensive treatment to lead a normal life.